1897 Michigan Agricultural Aggies football team

The 1897 Michigan Agricultural Aggies football team was an American football team that represented Michigan Agricultural College (MAC), now known as Michigan State University, during the 1897 college football season. The Aggies compiled a 4–2–1 record and outscored their opponents 146 to 106.[1]

1897 Michigan Agricultural Aggies football
Conference	Independent
1897 record	4–2–1
Head coach	Henry Keep (1st season)

1897 Midwestern college football independents records
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Butler			–					3	–	0	–	0
Fairmount			–					1	–	0	–	0
Washburn			–					7	–	1	–	0
Cincinnati			–					9	–	1	–	1
Iowa State Normal			–					5	–	1	–	0
Ohio Wesleyan			–					7	–	1	–	1
Indiana			–					6	–	1	–	1
Iowa Agricultural			–					3	–	1	–	0
Ohio			–					7	–	2	–	0
Notre Dame			–					4	–	1	–	1
Michigan Agricultural			–					4	–	2	–	1
Baldwin–Wallace			–					2	–	1	–	1
Chicago Dental Infirmary			–					2	–	2	–	1
Missouri			–					5	–	6	–	0
Lake Forest			–					4	–	5	–	1
Drake			–					2	–	3	–	0
Heidelberg			–					2	–	3	–	0
Detroit College			–					1	–	2	–	0
Indiana State			–					1	–	2	–	0
Kansas State			–					1	–	2	–	1
Mount Union			–					2	–	4	–	1
Rush Medical College			–					1	–	4	–	1
DePauw			–					2	–	6	–	0
Wittenberg			–					2	–	6	–	0
Haskell			–					1	–	4	–	0
Ohio State			–					1	–	7	–	1
Washington University			–					0	–	2	–	0
North Dakota Agricultural			–					0	–	3	–	0

The 1897 season was the first in which the MAC football team had a coach. Henry Keep, an engineering student who had transferred from the University of Michigan, was the first coach.[2][3]

The 1897 season also featured the first installment of the Michigan State–Notre Dame football rivalry. Notre Dame won the game at South Bend, Indiana, by 34 to 6 score. Fullback Wells scored a touchdown for the Aggies.[4]

During the 1897 season, MAC also played two games each against nearby Olivet College and Alma College. The Aggies defeated Alma in both games and secured one win and one tie against Olivet.

A game against Michigan State Normal School (later Eastern Michigan University) was cancelled, because MAC accused the Normal School of fielding a team that was "not made up entirely of college men."[5]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
September 25	Lansing High School	Lansing, MI	W 28–0
October 2	Olivet	Lansing, MI	W 26–6
October 9	Kalamazoo	Lansing, MI	L 0–28
October 16	at Olivet	Olivet, MI	T 18–18	[6]
October 30	at Alma	Alma, MI	W 30–16	[7]
November 6	Alma	Lansing, MI	W 38–4	[8]
November 25	at Notre Dame	South Bend, IN (rivalry)	L 6–34	[4]

References

1. "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. p. 146. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
2. Steve Grinczel. Michigan State Football: They Are Spartans. p. 11.
3. Keith Widder. Michigan Agricultural College: The Evolution of a Land-Grant Philosophy. p. 373.
4. "Notre Dame Takes the Game: Wins from Michigan Agricultural College by a Score of 34 to 6". The Daily Inter Ocean. November 26, 1897. p. 3.
5. "M.A.C. Cancelled the Game". Detroit Free Press. November 16, 1897. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Olivet and M.A.C. Tied". Detroit Free Press. October 17, 1897. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "M.A.C. Too Heavy for Alma". Detroit Free Press. October 31, 1897. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Alma Walloped by the M.A.C." Detroit Free Press. November 7, 1897. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.